National Headline, Death On a Farm

I came across a disturbing article today. It's out in the April 18th run of Newsweek Magazine. The headline itself grabs quickly. Death on a Farm.

There's no question that THE WORLD is under too much stress and pressure. You might think the last place that could be chaotic would be the farm but according to the article, world wide it's one of the most stressful lifestyles one can choose. Yes, you get to wake up with the birds singing, and smell the awesomeness that only diesel and dirt can mix, but that doesn't mean your job and your lifestyle doesn't come without it's share of stress.

I couldn't do it. The numbers alone are staggering when it comes to today's agriculture scene. Dollars! Equipment. Land prices. It's staggering at first glance. But, It's a lifestyle that's been bred into many here in the heartland. That's the story kind of breaks your heart. It's a quick read on-line here through Newsweek.

There were several attention getting points throughout the article. One of the more interesting quotes from the story was,

One factor disputed among agricultural and mental health professionals is the connection between pesticides and depression. A group of researchers published studies on the neurological effects of pesticide exposure in 2002 and 2008. Lorrann Stallones, one of those researchers and a psychology professor at Colorado State University, says she and her colleagues found that farmers who had significant contact with pesticides developed physical symptoms like fatigue, numbness, headaches and blurred vision, as well as psychological symptoms like anxiety, irritability, difficulty concentrating and depression. Those maladies are known to be caused by pesticides interfering with an enzyme that breaks down the neurotransmitter that affects mood and stress responses.